The desk lamp gets re-imagined as a ‘Robotzki’

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Bet your desk lamp can’t move like this one does. German designer Benedikt Achatz has reinvented the common desk lamp into a light source perfectly fit for the 21st century. Calling it the aptly named “Robotzki”, this desk lamp looks more robot than a LED lighting device.

Assembled with five motors and programmable microcontrollers to control movement, the Robotzki can be automatically positioned using special software giving users an almost unlimited number of positions for their desktop lighting needs. The software even allows for future interfacing with input and output devices, so it’s conceivable the lamp could interface with smart phones or other control devices.

As explained in the Robotzki description:

Robotzki provides a multi-dimensional interactive experience for the user in its flexible form and the unique sounds produced by the automated motor functions of the lamp. The fluid manipulation of this light allows for multi-use applications in any environment.

All I can say is that any invention that takes something as mundane as a desktop lamp and turns it into a functioning piece of robotic art deserves a second look, and perhaps a spot on my workbench. If you want to see the Robotzki in action for yourself, the lamp is currently on view at Ingo Maurer LLC in New York City until the end of June.